The present invention relates to a packaging box intended to protect bottles during their transportation and handling, and which is suited to be used for the presentation of the product contained in the bottles, in places where goods for sale are displayed.
The bottles containing drinks of high quality, such as fine wine and liqueurs, are often sold individually, each being put in a packaging of its own, the purpose of which is first of all to protect the bottle during its transportation and handling, but that also most often presents an esthetic character. Of course, the invention is not restricted to the field of wine and spirits, nor to that of drinks in general, and it can be applied in many other domains, which take benefit of the same means performing the same functions. The invention can also be used as a packaging box for any type of bottle or other container, whatever the physical or chemical nature of its content.
Normally, unflexible tubes made of cardboard or a similar material, that may present some parts for example in metal, are used. These packagings are designed to offer a good protection for the bottle, but stocking them in the production sites requires considerable space and highly increases the costs.
Besides, packaging boxes are known which are formed from blanks made of cardboard or a similar material and that present predetermined fold lines. Heretofore, such boxes always showed a rectangular or square section when they could be shelved flat, generally in the shape of simple blanks in a single layer which were then erected, together with producing a bottom and eventually a cover, just before the packaging step. The process of construction of these boxes is relatively complex and it is time-consuming. Furthermore, it is difficult to obtain a solid bottom that will not come apart during transportation or handling.
It is therefore desirable to have a packaging box for bottles that provides a reliable protection, especially concerning the strength of its bottom, that can be collapsed so as to be shelved flat, and the erection of which is easy and quick to carry out.
For such purpose, the present invention provides a packaging box for bottles, made from a blank in a flexible foldable material such as cardboard comprising: two similar body panels which are foldable against each other about a lateral generatrix and that form together a side wall for the box when their remote side edges are secured together, so that the box can be shelved flat in a collapsed form, two symetrical bottom elements having the shape of a half-section of the bottom face of the box, each of the bottom elements being foldably connected respectively to one of the body panels, and a bottom flap foldably connected along a diameter of said bottom face at a free edge of each of the bottom elements. The two bottom flaps are securable flat on each other into a grip for pushing the bottom elements into the side wall, where they are blocked by jamming, thereby erecting the box, and further constituting a strengthening element for the bottom face of the box.
The packaging box according to the invention can be shelved flat in a collapsed state, and therefore does not require a large storing space. Its erection is carried out by a straight-forward and quick manual operation and the blocking effect obtained by jamming of the two bottom elements into the side wall gives rise to a rigid bottom that will not get out of shape or come apart.
Advantageously, each of the bottom elements is attached respectively to the body panels through an intermediate laterally strengthening panel, that is substantially of the same width as the bottom flaps, and which is folded towards the inside of the side wall, so that the bottom elements are retracted in the side wall and the free edge of each of the intermediate panels forms, with the lower edge of the side wall, a support base for the box.
Owing to this layout, a particularly strong laterally reinforced bottom is obtained. Furthermore, the support base of the box comprises a diagonal component constituted by the edges of the two bottom flaps, which provides a reliable support base.
According to a further feature of the invention, the remote side edges of the body panels are secured to each other through an attaching panel connected to the outer vertical side edge of one of the body panels and secured to the outer vertical side end of the other body panel. Furthermore, one of the intermediate panels is cut out from a length which is substantially equal to the width of the attaching panel. This layout makes it possible to avoid an overthickness at the bottom of the packaging box.
Each body panel may comprise, next to each of its vertical side edges, a fold line parallel to the edge, so that the box has an oval or elliptic section. The erection of the box is then facilitated, and is carried out by applying an inward pressure at both ends of the major axis of the section of the box.
The body panels may have the shape of a rectangular trapezium, to provide a box with a frustoconical shape. This layout allows a better positioning of the boxes next to each other without any gap between them, when an arrangement of square formation is required. However, most often, a circular section throughout the entire height of the box will be preferred.
Advantageously, the bottom flaps comprise on both vertical side edges a non-secured extension that folds towards the flaps during the erection of the box. Those two extensions reinforce the support base of the box at the ends of the bottom flaps, which is particularly advantageous in the case of packaging boxes with a bottom face of an oval lower section, and even more of a circular lower section.
According to a further feature of the invention, in the case of a box with a circular upper section, each body panel is connected to a median cover element having the shape of a half-section of the top face of the box. The cover is obtained by folding the two cover elements inwardly into the top part of the box.
Advantageously, each cover element comprises two half-sections joined by a strip into which is arranged a central aperture, and each cover element comprises an insertion flap projecting out of the diameter of one of its half-sections, which insertion flap is intended to engage itself in the aperture of the other cover element. The two insertion flaps are situated on opposite half-sections of the cover elements.
This gives rise to a double-walled cover, the two elements of which are blocked in one another. Such a cover will not come apart during transportation or handling of the box.
Advantageously, each aperture comprises, on its side opposite to the insertion flap of the corresponding cover element, two shoulders for centring the flap of the other cover element. This still improves the cover strongness.
In the case of a box with a square or rectangular upper part, three upper strengthening flaps and a cover element may be connected to the upper edge of the side wall.
All the elements belonging to the blank are connected together by fold lines. This facilitates the erection of the box.